Housing Opportunities Made Equal Of Virginia Inc

HOME ENSURES EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING BY BUILDING INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH THE FAIR HOUSING LAWS, AND PROMOTING EFFECTIVE PUBLIC POLICY.

THE CENTER FOR HOUSING COUNSELING AND EDUCATION EXPANDS HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, HELPING THEM TO GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SKILLS NECESSARY TO ACCESS AND MAINTAIN STABLE HOUSING. THROUGH THIS CENTER, INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES BECOME SUCCESSFUL, LONG-TERM HOMEOWNERS & TENANTS; AVOID MORTGAGE DEFAULT; BECOME KNOWLEDGEABLE, RESPONSIBLE TENANTS THROUGH OUR RENTAL MOBILITY PROGRAM; AND TENANTS AVOID EVICTIONS THROUGH OUR HOUSING STABILITY PROGRAM. HOME TAKES A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO PROMOTING HOUSING ACCESS AND STABILITY THROUGH DEVELOPING FINANCIALLY LITERATE CONSUMERS. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021, THE CENTER SERVED OVER 2,000 FAMILIES, PROVIDING THE FOLLOWING SERVICES: 248 FAMILIES RECEIVED HOME OWNERSHIP EDUCATION; 295 FAMILIES RECEIVED HOME OWNERSHIP COUNSELING; 56 FAMILIES RECEIVED DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE TO BECOME FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS; 41 FAMILIES RECEIVED RENTAL EDUCATION; 134 FAMILIES RECEIVED CREDIT AND MONEY MANAGEMENT EDUCATION, 68 FAMILIES RECEIVED COUNSELING TO ASSIST THEM IN AVOIDING FORECLOSURE; 191 FAMILIES RECEIVED RENTAL MOBILITY COUNSELING; 27 FAMILIES RECEIVED REVERSE MORTGAGE COUNSELING; 1,270 FAMILIES RECEIVED LANDLORD TENANT REFERRAL SERVICES; 2,091 FAMILIES RECEIVED AN ANALYSIS OF THEIR CREDIT REPORT TO DETERMINE THEIR LEVEL OF READINESS FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP; 707 FAMILIES RECEIVED RENTAL FINANCIAL LITERACY COUNSELING; AND 680 FAMILIES RECEIVED RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO AVOID EVICTION. HOME'S WEBSITE HAD 119,133 PAGE VIEWS WITH 48,989 UNIQUE VISITORS. THE PROGRAM LANDING PAGES VIEWS INCLUDED: HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM 18,147, FORECLOSURE PREVENTION PROGRAM 3,928, MOVE TO OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM 3,628. ON FACEBOOK, HOME HAD A REACH OF 1,344,222. HOME'S DIGITAL MEDIA ADS HAD 1,412,126 IMPRESSIONS ON FORECLOSURE PREVENTION EDUCATION. HOME ALSO HAD APPROXIMATELY 10,554,322 IMPRESSIONS IN EARNED MEDIA IN THE NEWS.

THE CENTER FOR FAIR HOUSING PROTECTS THE HOUSING CHOICES OF ALL PEOPLE FROM EXTERNAL BARRIERS AND LIMITATIONS THROUGH FAIR HOUSING EDUCATION FOR CONSUMERS AND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, THE INVESTIGATION OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS, SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, AND COUNSELING TO RENTING FAMILIES. HOME EVALUATES AND ACTS UPON INDIVIDUAL CASES OF ALLEGED HOUSING DISCRIMINATION THROUGH INTAKE, TESTING, AND FILING CASES OR COMPLAINTS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH FAIR HOUSING LAWS. HOME ESTABLISHED THE BARBARA WURTZEL RABIN FUND IN 2018, THE FUND EXPANDED HOME'S FAIR HOUSING RESEARCH TEAM TO STUDY INSTANCES OF SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021 THE CENTER FOR FAIR HOUSING INITIATED 11 SYSTEMIC INVESTIGATIONS; CASES OF SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION SOMETIMES TAKE YEARS OF WORK TO UNCOVER. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021, THE CENTER PROVIDED FAIR HOUSING SERVICES TO 252 INDIVIDUALS. THE CENTER PROVIDED FAIR HOUSING COUNSELING TO 139 INDIVIDUALS, 62 OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE COUNSELED ABOUT REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION AND REASONABLE MODIFICATION RIGHTS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING LAWS. THE CENTER CONDUCTED 20 FAIR HOUSING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH WORKSHOPS FOR VARIOUS GROUPS RANGING FROM PRESCHOOL CHILDREN TO LAWYERS. OVER FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021, THE CENTER FOR FAIR HOUSING FILED 18 FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINTS/LAWSUITS ON BEHALF OF DISCRIMINATION VICTIMS. ADDITIONALLY, 9 HOUSING-RELATED COMPLAINTS WERE REFERRED TO OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS DUE TO TIME/LEGAL CONSTRAINTS. ONE NOTABLE CASE SETTLED BY HOME WAS HOME V. VETTER, THIS CASE ALLEGED HOUSING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND DISABILITIES. ANOTHER NOTABLE CASE HOME SETTLED WITH KAY MANAGEMENT, WHOSE POLICY OF AUTOMATICALLY REJECTING ALL APPLICANTS WITH CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS WAS INCONSISTENT WITH THE VIRGINIA FAIR HOUSING LAW AND THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, KAY MANAGEMENT AGREED TO REMOVE THIS FROM THEIR APPLICANT SCREENING POLICIES. HOME'S FAIR HOUSING PROGRAM WEBSITE LANDING PAGES HAD 16,226 VIEWS. HOME'S DIGITAL MEDIA ADS HAD 1,874,328 IMPRESSIONS ON FAIR HOUSING EDUCATION.

THE CENTER FOR HOUSING POLICY AND RESEARCH CREATES CHANGE IN THE HOUSING SYSTEMS THAT DRIVE ECONOMIC, EDUCATIONAL, AND SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES. THROUGH THE PROVISION OF ACCURATE INFORMATION AND DATA ON HOUSING TRENDS, EXPERIENCES, AND HISTORIC HOUSING PATTERNS, THE CENTER EDUCATES POLICYMAKERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND THE PUBLIC ON HOUSING ISSUES THAT CREATE BARRIERS TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021, THE CENTER CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THE CENTER FOR FAIR HOUSING ON SYSTEMIC LENDING AND RENTAL INVESTIGATIONS, PRODUCED RESEARCH REPORTS, AND ADVOCATED FOR ENDING HOUSING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY, STATUS AS A VETERAN, AND SOURCE OF FUNDS. HOME WORKED WITH SEVERAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WITH SIMILAR INTERESTS AND EDUCATED THE PUBLIC AND LEGISLATORS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FAIR HOUSING AND THE NEED TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR VIRGINIA'S RESIDENTS. THROUGH THIS WORK, HOME SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR REQUESTS TO ACCESSIBLE PARKING BECAME REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING LAW. HOME ALSO SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE LEAST-COST ENTRY INTO HOMEOWNERSHIP IN VIRGINIA: MANUFACTURED HOMES. HOME SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED TO MAKE MODEST CHANGES TO VIRGINIA'S FORECLOSURE LAW TO HELP SOME HOMEOWNERS FACING FORECLOSURE GET THE HELP THEY NEED TO BRING THEIR MORTGAGE CURRENT AND PROTECT THEIR HOMES. ADDITIONALLY, CONSIDERING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, HOME'S CENTER FOR HOUSING POLICY AND RESEARCH PROVIDED EDUCATION AND ASSISTANCE TO HOUSING STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PASSING LEGISLATION TO KEEP FAMILIES STABLY HOUSED DURING THE HEALTH CRISIS AND AVOID EVICTION AND FORECLOSURE.HOME'S RESEARCH TEAM IS DEDICATED TO THE PRODUCTION OF HIGH-QUALITY FAIR HOUSING AND HOUSING RELATED RESEARCH. ITS PRIMARY GOAL IS TO ASSESS AND UNCOVER THE EXTENT TO WHICH HOUSING DISCRIMINATION EXISTS IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA AND IN THE SOUTHEASTERN REGION OF THE UNITED STATES. ITS PRIMARY OBJECTIVES ARE TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY, COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH AIMED AT UNCOVERING AND ELIMINATING HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN RENTAL, SALES, LENDING, INSURANCE, AND APPRAISAL TRANSACTIONS; TO MAKE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ON HOW TO INCREASE EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING FOR ITS RESIDENTS; AND TO EDUCATE THE BROADER COMMUNITY REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE OF HOUSING EQUALITY. THE RESEARCH TEAM LAUNCHED ON JANUARY 1, 2013. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2020-2021, THE RESEARCH TEAM PRESENTED HOUSING RELATED RESEARCH TO THE CITY OF HAMPTON AND RICHMOND METRO REGIONS AS PART OF AN EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS, COLLABORATED WITH THE OFFICIAL FROM THE CITY OF NORFOLK'S DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT TO UNDERSTAND POLICIES RELATED TO HOUSING STABILITY AND MOBILITY; CONSULTED IN THE RICHMOND REGION DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF IMPEDIMENTS (AI) AND PROVIDED INSIGHT INTO HOUSING ORGANIZATIONS, ENGAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES, PARTICULARLY FOR ENGAGING UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED RESIDENTS WITHIN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.